1.1
As I walked home from school with Kei, I found myself reflecting a bit on a conversation I had with Hashimoto.
The end-of-year special exam was finally set for next week.
The details of the rules were still unknown, but the fluctuations of class points would clearly be significant.
The winners would laugh, and the losers would cry.
Honestly, as it was an exam, either outcome was within expectations.
However, there was one point I did not originally anticipate. It involved Sakayanagi and Ryūen; whichever of them lost, regardless of the exam content, would drop out of school.
As explicitly stated in the exam rules, there would be no draws; a winner would definitely be determined.
Meaning, one of them would disappear from this school at the end of the special exam.
The goal I secretly envisioned, to ‘keep the possibility of reaching Class A open for all four classes as we entered the third year,’ had practically been crushed.
No matter which class won or lost, I’d been preparing accordingly.
For irreplaceable figures like Sakayanagi and Ryūen, I planned to lend a hand if they were on the brink of dropping out, and indeed, I had taken such actions. After all, the situation where all four classes could achieve Class A wasn’t normal in itself.
By competitive nature, students don’t wish for a close rivalry battle with other classes.
That was why it was crucial to win when necessary, to exhaust the best possible strategies.
Both Horikita Manabu’s and Nagumo Miyabi’s classes had created a dominating system as a result.
Even if that weren’t the case, it would be either Class A or B competing, repeatedly engaging in duels.
The history of the school was supposed to be a repetition of such events.
With that background, I’d thought of creating a battle involving all four classes to overturn the foundation.
It’s indeed one future I had envisioned...
If this match could be canceled before being carried out, it might’ve been possible. However, it wasn’t appropriate for a third party to interfere in an agreement made by two people.
With one of them certain to be gone going forward, what should I do?
Both Ryūen’s and Sakayanagi’s classes had capable people to keep the classes together.
But still, no one could replace the current leaders. The balance would definitely be disrupted. If maintaining the balance among the four became impossible, what should I do? A decision I’d been postponing might have to be made once the results of the end-of-year special exam were out.
“Hey, Kiyotaka...”
Walking beside me, Kei spoke in a voice just loud enough to be heard.
“What’s up?”
I asked briefly, and Kei, who’d initiated the conversation, looked a bit surprised.
“This upcoming movie... it’s exciting, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.”
I replied, but Kei seemed somewhat uninterested.
“Were you thinking about something? You were, right?”
“Sorry. Maybe I was a bit preoccupied? I was thinking about the special exam.”
I hadn’t shown it in my expression or gestures, but perhaps she’d sensed it.
It seemed more like a sense developed from spending a not-so-short time together as a couple rather than her individual ability.
“It isn’t something to be thinking about while we’re walking home together. Are you angry?”
“I’m not saying that... but this time, are you perhaps cooperating with the class?”
“I wonder. I’m just thinking about various things. If you have something to talk about, I’ll listen.”
I might’ve seemed to be hiding my true feelings, but I switched my focus to Kei’s recent situation.
However, Kei appeared hesitant.
“No, don’t worry about me. Look, the end-of-year exams are really important, right? If you seriously participate, our class will definitely win, and if we get 250 class points, we might even reach Class A, right?”
So I don’t want to be a hindrance, Kei answered through her smile.
Of course, it was clear as day that this commendable attitude was feigned, but without hesitation, I decided to take advantage of her consideration.
“Then, is it okay to cancel our date this weekend? Of course, I’ll make it up next week.”
“Well, that’s fine, but… do you have to cancel? I’d like to be together this week and next week too.”
“I’d like to meet and talk with the leaders of each class before the end-of-year exams.”
In fact, besides the four leaders, there were several other people I wanted to contact.
But I decided there was no need to get into that here.
“…Not just with Horikita-san, but with the leaders of each class…?”
Normally, you’d focus on securing victories for your own class.
It wouldn’t be unreasonable to think that talking with Horikita would be enough.
“Yes, all four of them. Do you dislike me meeting Ichinose?”
“Uh... “
As if hitting the mark, Kei flinched and panicked.
“It’s not… that I don’t dislike it, but… I mean, of course I do… But it’s necessary for you, right?”
“This time, it’s quite important.”
As I nodded in response, Kei reluctantly nodded back.
“If there’s something shady, you could secretly contact or meet people as much as you want, but instead, you properly ask for permission...”
Her muttering seemed like she was trying to convince herself.
“Do you trust me?”
And finally, I asked for confirmation.
“I’m meeting the leaders of each class this time to plan for the future. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Even if I conveyed my true intentions, it wouldn’t clear up the answer for Kei.
Watching Kei’s behavior lately, something had started to change.
Of course, it was clear that I was the cause.
In a romantic relationship between a man and a woman, you fundamentally need to trust and be trusted by each other.
However, cracks were beginning to form in that relationship. The triggers were numerous.
Money, violence, infidelity, listlessness. There were countless reasons why relationships fail.
But it wouldn’t be easy to confront the other person.
‘Have you stopped loving me?’
‘Have you fallen in love with someone else?’
‘Are you tired of me?’
Even if there were concerns, it takes considerable courage to voice them.
Even if voiced, there was no guarantee that the problem would be resolved.
“I understand. I won’t say anything more about this. So, I don’t need a detailed report.”
Kei explained that she wouldn’t inquire about the content of our meetings.
“That helps.”
Now, I could focus on preparing for the end-of-year special exam without any worries.
“So, can I stay over tonight?”
What Kei, unable to voice her thoughts, could do was spend as much time together as possible.
In the time we shared, she wanted to do what she could to keep the connection.
There was no particular reason to refuse here.
Even if I didn’t possess a heart that could ache, there would be no downside for me.
“No, let’s stop this week. I’ll be busy preparing for the end of the year.”
I decided to refuse nonetheless.
It wasn’t a time to keep hope alive, but rather a stage of preparation to sever it.
No matter how thin and fragile the thread, Kei would come to grasp it with all her might.
“...Even just a little... Is it no good?”
“Even just a little is no good. Being only half-committed, I’d feel sorry for you.”
Still, she seemed intent on persisting, continuing her words without giving up.
“I don’t mind, I’ll just devote myself to you, Kiyotaka… I’ll… I’ll try harder to make you like me more.”
When I turned my gaze as if to respond to her words, she slightly bit her lip and closed her eyes.
“Sorry… Even though you said you don’t want to… I shouldn’t act like this, right? I’m sorry for being selfish during the important end-of-year special exam.”
“It’s fine. Let’s go to a movie together after the exams are over.”
With that reply, Kei quietly nodded “Yes.”
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login